Yes; I miss my rum and my beer. But only because of a famous quote by Earnest Hemmingway; “I drink to make other people interesting.” I miss driving my car; my balance is not 100% yet SO no driving, but I don’t miss smoking…Well that first cup of coffee in the morning without a cigarette is a memory that kicks in every morning. Two years ago I found that I was smoking 2.5 packs a day, and knew that was a speedy trip to a bone yard. So within a month I cut down to 12 sticks per day, and after 2.5 months in the hospital I was done smoking for good. Albeit that is not the smoking cessation plan I would recommend to anybody. But in the last month or so I have adjusted to so many new things, and am still finding more around every corner.
But over the years I’ve found that missing things is a part of life. When I retired from the Navy I really missed it, but I adjusted. When Hurricane Hugo took all I owned in Puerto Rico, I adjusted. Working in Florida while waiting to return to sea as a Merchant Seaman I never adjusted to working in Florida, but I did it anyway. I met a lot of friends and that was the only thing I missed was my CJ7 Jeep when I put it into a storage locker paid two years in advance and flew to San Francisco to go back to sea.
I even adjusted to the loony liberals in San Francisco, and understood why they were such a mess, it never got warm there, a bay and ocean that is too cold to swim in, is enough to frustrate anyone.
My first ship was Merchant Ship was in Guam, I adjusted to Guam, like a duck would to a pond. It’s a tropical Island inhabited by laidback wonderful folks from all over the Pacific Rim. Like Puerto Rico, all rules were kept to a minimum. I made many trips to the Persian or Arabian Gulf (They change the name weekly) to deliver cargo to the US Navy fighting forces. I never adjusted to the heat or sandstorms. But Dubai is a city (State) that was well worth the trip. I adjusted well to their night life.
In 2000 I retired from sailing and decided to stay home in Bataan Philippines, I adjusted to that with ease. Now I did miss the money but not the long months away from home.
I’m going off message to explain that yes riding ships and visiting all those ports was nothing but fun, but there comes a time when pulling back into Kota-Kinabalu for the 10th time got boring, when that happens it is time to hang up your oar. Singapore was never boring like Manila if you didn’t have to drive there. But those ports were few and far between. Even Guam, after you realizes that you have driven over every road in the first month, was getting old. My first trip to Guam, I bought a 1988 Buick. It ran well but nothing else worked, even the power windows were locked in the down position for the remainder of time. It rained there a lot so bring a dry change of clothes with you. When I was flying out for the last time at the airport I handed the title and keys to my friend and flew home.
There are many things I’ll never adjust to, and you can call me names and look down your nose at me. Bruce Jenner as long as he sports his man package, he is not a woman just a guy in drag, even if he now gets to use the ladies Tee when golfing. (Was it worth it Bruce?) If my granddaughter enters a restroom, no man will enter after her as long as there is a breath in my body. Gay marriage is fine with me; I like the idea of one man paying another man spousal support that’s a positive adjustment on my part.
I see how much I’ve evolved after growing up in the 50’s and 60’s in Boston. I’ve adjusted to most changes the liberals have forced on America, and the ones I refuse to adjust to….Well that’s why I live in a sane country like the Philippines, proving that you can adjust to anything.
Happy Father’s Day friend Bob. 🙂
Thank you, Tavo, and to you as well.
Should I rewrite the article and call it “Adjusting to Bob’s Father’s Day” That should garner more comments. (LOL)
Ha ha… Happy Father’s Day to you Paul! Hope you had a good day.
Bob Martin They took me out for brunch, nice day!
Paul, pls look for me at your Facebook message inbox, sent you a message 🙂
Tomas Sino
Wait for it………. Nothing yet!
Hi Paul,
Glad you are back and adjusting. There are many things we have to leave behind as we adjust and cling to life. We extend life as long as we can and make the adjustments necessary to do that because what is there after. Hang in there and keep writing. I enjoy your posts. Thank you for them.
Happy fathers day Bob
Thank you Jerry, and the same to you as well.
Jerry Smith;
Thank you for wishing Bob a Happy Father’s Day.
Bob;
Encase Jerry forgot, let me say you’re welcome!
Beladed Happy Father’s Day Bob..
Ha ha… thank you! Happy Father’s Day to you also Brian. 🙂
Brian;
Bob needed this greeting, thank you for being so thoughtful.
Bob Martin
I can’t remember if I wished you a Happy Father’s Day. BTW could you just republish this article next Monday when it’s not Father’s Day? (LOL)
Ha ha.. thanks, Paul. Now you are trying to slide out of your next article, though! 😉
Bob Martin So far one person has read this one! (LOL)
Yes, I read it. When Paul’s article hits, I know my weekend is almost over and bedtime is here.
Paul, good article as usual.
LeRoy Miller Thank you now it’s two people who read it. My work here is done! (lol)
No, your work is to continue getting better for your fans.
You have been in my thoughts and prayers during your recovery. Your unique observations and common sense in a world of craziness is still needed.
Take care and be well. Later.
LeRoy;
Common Sense? Well that is a first for me, but thank you because writing for Lip does me a lot of good!
Nick;
Life is a continuing adjustment, but that’s what makes it interesting. When I got out of the hospital I thought I was done writing for LiP, and then I found that it was therapeutic for me. Humor is more fun when you can point it out to folks!
Paul, Yes your humour makes for very entertaining reading and amongst the humour is many, many little insights of what it is really like living there. Nick
Nick;
I try to sneak in a message with the basic joking around!
Belated Happy Father’s Day to you, Mr. Paul T. (and also to Mr. Bob, the owner LiP) Mr. Paul T. I am glad you’re adjusting well -especially from not smoking. Congratulations and may you stay healthy.
Jose;
They didn’t give me much room to adjust, but as I said, life is nothing but a series of adjustments, starting with that first day of school in 1954. The non-smoking was easy, so easy I could have stopped a long time ago. The loss of cocktail hour,, a horse of a different color.
Dr at Baypointe Med Center said I need to “cut down” on alcohol, caffeine and smoking, (but they all say that) so I cut down. 2 cups of coffee a day, a beer or two a couple times a week and I only smoke a cigar on Sundays… and maybe another on Wednesday. No cigarettes.
changes I can easily adjust too.
Pita Mike;
I’ve only had one coffee a day going back to my Navy days; my alcohol usage is only zero until they put me back together. The no cigarettes rule is great, I’ve never smoked cigars, but I think your plan will work!
Greetings Paul.
Glad you (and Bob) had a good Father’s Day and your body is on the mend. I want to thank you for introducing me to lemon grass tea through one of your articles. I did a google search on lemon grass tea and ginger tea and found out the 2 combined are really good for killing cancer cells. I had part of my colon removed 5 years ago next month because of a cancerous polyp and I am still going.
Thanks for your interesting articles as they hit home with me being an old retired sea dog myself. Keep up the good work.
Jay;
We have a huge grouping of lemon grass in our front yard, great for stuffing chickens for roasting also, but mostly for the tea every day My wife loves it also. I’m glad you enjoy it too, as it is refreshing in the morning while sitting out front.
Paul and Bob,
Happy father’s Day. Great article, I enjoyed it and looking at my life I see some of the same life choices and paths walked. The only constant in life is change is what my Dad told me many, many years ago. And I find change for the most part good. Hope you get all better soon.
Luke;
Bob and I have been joking about Father’s Day all morning, as Bob puts my article on his Facebook, so most of the comments have been “Happy Father’s Day Bob” But in the Navy change was on a second to second occurrence. My boss comes out on deck while we have frozen food staged for the carrier, but they want to fly birds. Supply officer said “Remain flexible” to which I answered;” Boss we have just entered the gaseous stage!”But waiting and hanging around while on overtime, and penalty time after 2200, they could fly all night.
Happy Fathers Day Paul,
I find your article to be very encouraging about accepting change or at least making the best attempt at it. I will start thinking about trying to quit smoking again as I think we were both in the same league consumption wise. If you recall my account of when I was hospitalized in The Philippines I commented about a ” very effective exhaust fan ” in the CR attached to the private room I had. No supplied toilet tissue, No Hot water but a nice exhaust fan. I’d go in there, close the door put the fan on and sneak a smoke once in a while.
Happy Fathers Day Bob. Since it was Pauls article I thought I would give him top billing on the Fathers Day greeting LOL
Bob (NY);
The one thing I will not become is an anti-smoking NAZI and lecture people about smoking just because I stopped. I stopped not through some great feat of willpower but because I had a medical emergency and was stuck mostly unconscious in a hospital foe 2.5 months, without that I know I’d still be puffing away on a Hope cigarette menthol 100.
The Father’s Day gag turned out to be pretty funny today on LiP.
I drive off the ladies tee. That is the only way I can get to the green. I think Tiger, or whomever, shoots a 72 for 18 holes. I had a 72 for 9 holes.
Rusty;
Using the ladies tee is a personal choice, I only get involved if they put on a dress and want to shower in the ladies locker room with my daughters or granddaughter.
Hi Paul,
Happy Father’s Day! I never really got the smoking cigarettes draw. I know that they are addictive and hard to quit, but I tried one when I was young and was like why bother sucking smoke in my lungs. I often wonder why people start smoking. The cigarettes did not have the mind/mood altering affects that I got from drinking alcohol. I gave up drinking alcohol for the mind/mood altering when I got married ad started a family. I drink rarely and in moderation. I enjoyed reading your article and looking at your pictures!
Peace
Jay
Jay
It was because it was the 1960’s and everyone smoked, on TV, in the movies, at nightclubs ECT. We didn’t know any better. Alcohol has never been a problem, on ship’s I could go months without it. And that is happening again only this time for medical reasons. Because of my Navy career and merchant Seaman jobs a DUI could cost you your license to sail, and no drink was worth losing that paycheck.
Well said Paul. Stay where you are
because this country has lost it’s collective mind!
As well as lost it’s way!
That’s something I can’t adjust to.
Hi Dan;
There is no way I’d give up this life to return and be a greeter at Wal-Mart. But I would go on welfare and milk the liberals out of all the free stuff, and still not vote for them
Hello Paul,
I completely agree. You can adjust to anything. A couple of weeks ago, my doctor advised me to stop drinking coffee because of my irregular heart beats. From 8 cups a day I stopped completely. It felt horrible during the first week because of the withdrawal symptoms but I survived.
Orlando;
On board ships fresh coffee was available 24-7, I felt the effects from drinking too much many years ago and allowed myself only one cup every morning. Like you said, it time the craving goes away. I’m even adjusting to being a passenger in my own car.
Hi Paul,
The conversation got to my current addiction caffeine. If I go cold turkey on caffeine I get a wicked headache.
Back on the alcohol, a friend of my wife told her that to kill the slugs that were eating the plants in her garden all she needed to do wash leave bowls of beer in the garden. Strangely enough it works. The slugs go for the beer like a sailor on shore leave. I guess they get drunk and pass out in the beer and die. Either that or the alcohol dehydrates them. I asked my wife if I could drink a glass of her slug poison. She agreed. That is the last beer I drank about the time PB said the USA was going to be toast.
Peace
Jay
Jay;
A wicked headache, are you from New England where we use wicked pissa to describe something that is great! “The Red Sox won today”, the whole bar shouts; “Wicked Pissa”
If I were a liberal puke I’d complain about you stereotyping sailors, but since I was a sailor I understand your meaning. (lol)
It’s been calm out of Palawan for a week or so, but I know that big hammer is still somewhere over our heads, I look up every time I leave the house.
Beer as poison, if it’s “Beer na Beer” I know that’s right! Try Tanguy special rot gut 5 year old RHUM, that will kill rodents also.(LOL)
Paul,
Good to hear you are back on an even keel
I enjoyed your post. Smooth sailing.
Paul,
Did you work for MSC?
Willie;
Until the year 2000 when I hung up my oar and retired for good!
Ah,
Things are much clearer now. I knew there was something familiar about you. lol. I had a chance to work for them but decided to sail drill ships around the world in an effort to find black gold. Much better schedule….always relived on time…and better pay. Cheers.
Willie;
Drill ship’s, I’ve seen a few of them floating around; I liked MSC because we stopped in different ports and they let us off for cocktails my pay was in the six figures a year. But I have had to wait to be relieved, but we were paid penalty pay while waiting.
Mark;
I’m on a slight port list right now, I should be on a even keel in two months.(LOL)
Happy Fathers Day Paul!!!
It still amazes me that so many seem to think that all the articles are written by Bob, when far are more are written by others than him.
Some adjust to things far better than others, hope I can be like you and adjust to life there as you did.
2 weeks (336hours ) and we are still here, so I have adjusted to that very well,,,Palawan Bob!
Bill;
I’m not sure if people think Bob writes everything, when would the poor man get to sleep.
Adjusting to living here is like a broken record for me:
Things here move at their own pace,
Keep your sense of humor in fine tune.
If you are a conservative: there is no right to bear arms.
If you’re a liberal: You only get to use one bathroom!
It’s really that simple, just enjoy it, after a while you’ll find it is better than where you are from.
Hi Paul, yeah you have to have a sense of humor or humour if you’re British lol,
I think we are all adjusting every day I’ve decided to stop drinking tanduay rum
Yes sometimes I bought the 5 year old stuff tastes OK with coke been to the doctor for the usual check up blood test etc said I’ve got a fatty liver quite common in men my age put me on meds for a month, told me to cut down on
Sugar, fried food and alcohol told me to eat more fruit and vegetables boiled fish
And surprisingly said to me cut down on eating rice, isn’t life great Paul
Bye the way hoping you’re feeling better now, Derek in pasig.
Derek;
We all need a sense of humor and thank you for spelling it humour your Britnesss is back! If you were drinking the 5 year old Rhum, that was your first mistake that is best used for starting BBQ’s or cleaning car parts. I have a picture of the good 12 year old Rum in the article above. No rice, that is classic. I only eat rice when I’m in the mood to eat thousands of something. (LOL) I’m feeling much better, and I hope you are too!
Paul,
Glad you are feeling better as time goes by. Seems we have traveled down the same road. I retired from the navy, tried a shore job decided it was not for me. Seems being at sea is in my blood, now working for msc as a 2nd engineer for the last 15 years. As i get older i can feel the years at sea taking a toll on the old body. So i see a change coming for me as well. But i am a stubborn old fool, nothing better than telling sea stories with some good shipmates. I’m now sailing in Europe When i get back out to the west coast would love to meet and share some sea stories with you.
Thomas;
Wow, who did you upset to get put on the East Coast? (lol) I knew it was time to go when I saw an AB watch coming down main deck using a walker. MSC is spending a lot of time in SUBIC with the Navy now that the new treaty is in effect, Pull in double up all lines and give me a shout and I’ll be there!